Scotland's oldest bagpipe chanter among 100 great Gaelic objects
The chanter was owned by 17th Century Am Pìobaire Dall - the blind piper.
Scotland’s oldest known bagpipe chanter and a bible carried by an unknown soldier at Culloden have been included in a collection of great Gaelic objects.
They are among 100 items which now appear, along with their back stories, in a new bilingual resource of objects which reflect the people, culture and language of the Gaeldom.
The chanter belonged to Iain Dall MacKay, or Am Pìobaire Dall, the blind piper, who lived from around 1656 to around 1754.
Considered part of the aos-dàna, a select group of learned artists revered in Gaelic society who operated at the highest level of skill and ability, MacKay’s pibroch compositions were renowned for their complexity and beauty.
Meanwhile, the bible which has been linked to Culloden was created in 1690 by Perthshire minister Robert Kirk. It was among the first editions of the bible to be printed in Gaelic.
The two items are held by National Museums Scotland, which put forward 15 items in total to the research project. Called Tha sgeul ri innse - there’s a story for the telling) - it was designed to improve understanding of the objects and amplify their significance.
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Professor Hugh Cheape, from Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture on Skye, collaborated on the project.
He said:“The wealth of material from the Highlands and Islands in the national collections has helped to define our ‘national treasures’ but they had fallen silent for the stories they could tell.
“The ‘sgeul ri innse’ project has offered a precious opportunity to re-awaken voices and demonstrate how communication and interpretation can be enhanced by words and language. For the value added by Gaelic, this can be just the start.”
Part of the project worked with communities in Lewis and Skye to gain added perspectives on the objects
Lead researcher Anna MacQuarrie, of National Museums Scotland, said: “It’s been a pleasure to work on this project, studying these fascinating objects first hand, and reconnecting them with the Gaelic perspectives and language that help us better understand them.
“Working with community members in Skye and Lewis has been a vital part of the process, their contributions shaping how we represent our shared Gàidhealach material culture, past and present.”
Other objects examined include a glass bottle associated with the sinking of the Iolaire off Stornoway in 1919 and a phone book from Ness featuring nicknames to help differentiate people with the same names.
A framed Gaelic proclamation from 1888 aimed at protestors attempting to reclaim croft land at the farm of Aignish in Lewis is also included.
Dr Sarah Laurenson, of NMS, said: “It’s important to us at National Museums Scotland to accurately and transparently reflect the true cultural associations, meanings and histories of the material in our care across the collections.
“It’s great that we are doing this with material connected to Gaelic culture, history and tradition and I’m delighted that there is a public output which will help raise awareness of the stories behind those connections”.
Ealasaid MacDonald, CEO of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, which funded the project, said: “This is a nationally significant project, ensuring that our shared history and heritage is understood and properly acknowledged. I congratulate everyone involved in ensuring that we are able to tell the stories of these items and ensuring that they will be enjoyed for generations to come.”
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